Expert strategies for personalized, 21st Century professional learning!

Empower teachers to take ownership of their own professional learning. Recognized EdTech leaders Murray and Zoul guide you step-by-step through the process. Confidently learn to build a values-driven school culture, personalized professional roadmaps, and a collaboration-minded staff. You’ll find concrete examples, leadership profiles, and a wealth of resources to help administrators and teachers:

Take ownership of their professional growth

Design meaningful learning opportunities

Collaborate and learn using technology, blogs, and social media

Model and support professional learning for others

Transform teacher learning and see your student achievement soar!

The Corwin Connected Educators series is your key to unlocking the greatest resource available to all educators: other educators. Being a Connected Educator is more than a set of actions: it’s a belief in the potential of technology to fuel lifelong learning. To explore the other books in this series, visit the Corwin Connected Educators website.

"Leading Professional Learning: Tools to Connect and Empower Teachers masterfully connects how and why professional learning for teachers can be transformed. It's an accessible, practical resource that every educator should have in their toolkit."—Cindy Johanson, Executive Director
Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation

"This is a brief, but powerful, book about making professional learning for teachers more meaningful and personal. Murray and Zoul have identified several important ways to improve how we support our teachers' learning so that they are better equipped to support their students. The book offers practical tips that schools and districts can take and use immediately."—Todd Whitaker, Professor of Department of Educational Leadership
Indiana State University

Preface by Peter DeWitt

Introduction

1. A New Vision for Professional Learning

Who Owns the Learning?

Teachers as Learners and Leaders

Tool Spotlight: Google Forms for Soliciting Teacher Feedback

Leadership Profile: Michelle Nebel

2. Lead Learners Model the Way

The Leadership Gap

Time: Stop Spending; Start Investing

Tool Spotlight: Today's Meet

Blogging to Lead, Blogging to Learn

Tool Spotlight: Edublogs, Blogger, Wordpress

Leadership Profile: Jimmy Casas

3. Personalizing Learning Plans in Action

Empower Staff to Design Their Own Learning

Designing the Personalized Roadmap

Expanding Boundaries

Tool Spotlight: Tweetdeck

Tool Spotlight: The Official Chat List

Leadership Profile: Laura Fleming

4. Developing the 21st Century Professional Learning Mindset

Professional Learning is Collaborative

Job-Embedded Professional Learning and the Role of Coaching

Professional Learning Communities

Professional Learning is Engaging

Professional Learning is Relevant and On Demand

Tool Spotlight: Voxer

Leadership Profile: Tom Whitford

5. Shifting the Focus Forward

Common Core Shifts Require Shifts in Professional Learning

From Sage on the Stage to Guide on the Side to Meddler in the Middle

A Call to Action

References

Supplements

“Murray and Zoul outline what it takes to be a Future Ready School District as it relates to professional learning. It is imperative that school districts move from the one-size-fits-all, sit and get model of professional learning to a system where teachers are empowered, human capacity is built, staff take ownership of their own learning, and leaders serve as a models in their own learning. This book offers practical advice that can be implemented by any educator and is a needed tool for their tool chest!"

Governor Bob Wise, President

Alliance for Excellent Education

"Leading Professional Learning: Tools to Connect and Empower Teachers masterfully connects how and why professional learning for teachers can be transformed. It's an accessible, practical resource that every educator should have in their toolkit."

Cindy Johanson, Executive Director

Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation

"This is a brief, but powerful, book about making professional learning for teachers more meaningful and personal. Murray and Zoul have identified several important ways to improve how we support our teachers' learning so that they are better equipped to support their students. The book offers practical tips that schools and districts can take and use immediately."

Todd Whitaker, Professor of Department of Educational Leadership

Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana

" There is nothing more important than the professional learning of teachers. Murray and Zoul outline easy to implement strategies while providing an array of tools to assist any educator, regardless of experience, take control of his or her learning."

Eric Sheninger, Author of Digital Leadership

"Too many school leaders dread staff meetings and professional development days because they aren't prepared to make these events meaningful learning opportunities for their staff members. This book will help school leaders feel excited about the next staff learning event by giving them the knowledge and tools to make a positive impact on those they lead."

Curt Rees, Principal

Northern Hills School, Onalaska, Wisconsin

“Murray and Zoul present a refreshingly practical guide for bringing professional learning into the 21st century. In addition to sharing a compelling vision for how technology can supercharge collaboration among educators, they also provide specific approaches and tools so anyone can make the transformation in their own school.”

Richard Culatta, Education Innovator

" In this book we learn it is not only possible, but essential for educators to 'own their own learning' when we talk about professional development/growth. Excited to hear concepts proven to work with our students being used with our educators. Great stuff from two awesome educators!"

Daisy Dyer Duerr, Principal

St. Paul Public Schools, St. Paul, AR

"As a teacher, it's refreshing to read a book that describes how districts can transform old-fashioned, one-size-fits-all professional development into differentiated, professional learning experiences that are beneficial for all involved! I sincerely hope that some day soon, all educators are afforded the opportunity to move from 'renting' to 'owning' their professional learning. Empower us to make the right decisions with regard to our professional growth and we will be more invested in learning, taking risks, and expecting the same from our students!"

Paul A. Solarz, 5th Grade Teacher

Westgate Elementary School, Arlington Heights, IL

"In this book, Murray & Zoul have crafted a must-have educator guide supporting movement away from conventional one-size professional development and toward 21st Century lifelong personalized learning. Along the reading route, authors point out meaningful professional resources, share compelling anecdotes, and introduce easily accessed and collaborative technologies. Concise, practical, and current! Even a well-connected educator might learn a thing a two!"

Dr. Dea Conrad-Curry, Ed.D.

Educational Consultant & Professional Growth Facilitator

"This book serves as a treasure trove of ideas and resources that can be used at any school. Murray and Zoul focus on empowering teachers with a spotlight on teacher led and designed professional learning opportunities. Any school or district leader that uses these ideas to build their professional learning opportunities will see an enthusiastic and fruitful response from their teachers."

Sample Materials & Chapters

Preview this book

Thomas C. Murray

Thomas C. Murray serves as the state and district digital learning director for the Alliance for Excellent Education located in Washington, DC. He has testified before the United States Congress and works alongside that body, the US Department of Education and state departments of education, corpo­rations, and school districts throughout the country to implement digital learning while leading Future Ready, Project 24, and Digital Learning Day. Murray’s experiences in K–12 digital leadership, which include implementing a 1:1 program, BYOD, blended learning, and a K–12 cyber school where he served as the director of technology and cyber... More About Author

Jeffrey J. Zoul

Dr. Jeffrey Zoul is a lifelong teacher, learner, and leader, currently serving as Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning with Deerfield Public Schools District 109 in Deerfield, Illinois. Prior to working in this capacity, Jeff served as a district administrator in Rock Island, Illinois, and a school improvement specialist with Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), the nation’s largest and oldest non-profit school improvement network. Jeff also served as a principal with Forsyth County Schools in Cumming, Georgia, and with North Shore School District 112 in Highland Park, Illinois. Before serving as an administrator, Dr.... More About Author

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